Monday, November 21, 2011

Vince, We Hardly Knew Ye


I was thinking about Fred. You probably know him better as Vince. But when I met him he was Fred. I was wondering what ever happened to him? And why did he always walk with a limp? He ran without any trouble - but he always limped when he walked. Sometimes it was his right leg, sometimes his left, but always a limp.
I only saw him run once. It was summer in Venezuela. But we were in Idaho and it was 20 freakin' below. Bored out of our beanies - I bet him a twenty he wouldn't run around the outside of the house naked . Fred said that he didn't believe I really even HAD $20 dollars. When I pulled the bill out of my pocket he sucker - punched me.  I woke up god-knows-how-much-later lying outside in the snow -- sans my $20, sans my pants (they were Sansabelts - very chic in the 70's) and sans any feeling in my extremities. But I had a new found respect for Fred's gamesmanship.
I loved Fred like a brother until the fateful day I spotted him limping down the street with my best girl on his arm. I don't know what came over me but I must have snapped. Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was the beer, or the Jack Daniels, or the Harvey's Bristol Crème. Maybe it was the smack or crack or hash, the meth or the H. Maybe it was the memories stirred up by the scent of Canoe in the air. (Fred always smelled of Canoe, he was two fifths Iroquois) or maybe it was just the last straw and you know how much I hate drinking from the can.
I don't remember what happened next. It's probably for the best, cause somehow I ended up in the Merchant Marines on a freighter in the south pacific. But that's another story for another day and right now, I'm thinking about Fred. Sorry, I don't mean to bore you. To hell with Fred - know what I mean? Hey, leave the bottle, okay? Inside the cap it says I won a free download on itunes.

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